Online Romance with an Iceberg Professor Backfired - Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Beast
Jiang Xianhan sat in the passenger seat, and Ji Pei folded the wheelchair and put it in the trunk.
Once in the car, Ji Pei presented a freshly baked muffin and a bottle of hot milk to Jiang Xianhan.
“Professor Jiang, I’m afraid you’ll have to eat breakfast in the car.”
Jiang Xianhan seemed to still be processing the shock from moments ago. She hadn’t expected Ji Pei to go to such lengths for her.
Ji Pei’s lips curved upward, and she appeared to be in a very good mood. Soft, soothing film music played on the car stereo.
Jiang Xianhan couldn’t help but ask, “How did you know I had class today?”
“I asked Bai Yin. She said you have class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and a public lecture today. So I woke up early.”
Jiang Xianhan took a bite of the muffin. “Did you have breakfast?”
Ji Pei nodded. “Yes, I did.”
They soon drove to the North Gate. Ji Pei started her ‘face-recognition’ strategy again. The friendly security guard walked over. “Little Pei, back at the school again? And driving this time.”
Ji Pei smiled at the guard, rolled down her window, and handed him a tote bag.
As the car slowly drove onto the campus, Jiang Xianhan smiled faintly. “I didn’t realize you had such a good relationship with the security guards.”
Ji Pei explained with a hint of embarrassment, “The security guards let me in several times before. They recognize me.”
There was free parking on campus, but Ji Pei wasn’t sure where. Jiang Xianhan guided her. All the way, her car was scrutinized by many students. The turning-head rate was 100%. Ji Pei figured part of the reason was the car’s color, and the other part was her license plate number. As Ye Wenzhu said, her license plate was just asking for trouble. Ji Pei initially considered driving another car, but this one was the cheapest of all the cars she owned.
She and her car were subjected to a crowd of onlookers early in the morning. Ji Pei calmly parked the car, got out, and pulled the wheelchair out. Ji Pei opened the passenger door and extended her hand to Jiang Xianhan.
“Professor Jiang, come out. I’ll push you to your office.”
She had heard that Jiang Xianhan never brought textbooks to class, but even without textbooks, she surely needed to prepare in her office. Bai Yin had messaged her saying she was already waiting in the office.
Ji Pei pushed Jiang Xianhan into the elevator and then into the office. Three professors were sitting in the office. Ji Pei felt uncomfortable immediately, especially when all eyes were on her. She wanted to drop Jiang Xianhan and run.
Professor Zhang adjusted his glasses upon seeing the scene and chuckled, “Oh, Professor Jiang, what’s with the change in transportation today?”
Jiang Xianhan pointed to her right foot. “I sprained it. This kind and beautiful young person drove me here.”
Another female professor gave a gossipy smile. “Is this young person from our department? I haven’t seen her before.”
Ji Pei smiled and explained, “I’m not. I’m a caregiver Professor Jiang hired.”
Jiang Xianhan pursed her lips. “Enough with the gossip. Where’s Bai Yin? Help me set up the PPT.”
Ji Pei remembered it was a public lecture and leaned in to whisper to Jiang Xianhan, “Professor Jiang, can I attend your public lecture?”
The tension in Jiang Xianhan’s lips eased, and she smiled. “Why, do you want to be my plant?”
Ji Pei was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Jiang Xianhan to be so humorous and witty. “Then I won’t go.”
Although Ji Pei’s voice was low, everyone in the office heard her clearly. The two professors who had just spoken exchanged smiles.
“Alright, I’m just kidding.”
Jiang Xianhan opened her computer. Her glasses reflected a faint light, and her phoenix eyes tilted slightly upward. She looked very pleased.
“You’ll come with me later. Just sit in the first row.”
Ji Pei visibly flinched at the mention of the first row. “Ah, the first row? Can I choose a seat farther away?”
Jiang Xianhan shook her head, the amusement in her eyes undiminished. “No. The first row. Didn’t you say you’re my caregiver? A caregiver cannot leave their patient for a moment. That’s your professional duty.”
“I…”
Ji Pei wanted to object, but she had indeed just told the other professors that she was Jiang Xianhan’s caregiver. After being rejected by Jiang Xianhan, her mind spun. “The first row is fine, but please don’t call on me to answer questions. I don’t know anything. It would be too embarrassing.”
Jiang Xianhan turned to face Ji Pei’s sparkling eyes. “Didn’t you answer quite well last time?”
“Last time?”
“What last time?”
Professor Zhang, munching on a scallion pancake, walked over. “What are you two whispering about? Let me hear it too.”
Ji Pei shook her head. “Nothing, Professor. You misheard.”
Jiang Xianhan’s public lecture was the second class. Ji Pei felt strange staying in their office. Although Bai Yin had prepared a chair for her, Ji Pei felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
“Professor Jiang, I’m going out for a bit and will be back after this class is over.”
With Jiang Xianhan’s permission, Ji Pei turned and ran, feeling immense relief the moment she was out the door.
Professor Zhang Yun saw Ji Pei leave, dragged his chair over, and his expression of shock was barely concealed. “Jiang Xianhan, you have some nerve.”
Jiang Xianhan stared at the monitor expressionlessly. “What business is it of yours?”
Zhang Yun looked disdainful. “See, you’re being harsh again. Your voice was as soft as water when you were talking to her just now. I’ve been your colleague for so long, and I’ve never heard you speak like that.”
Jiang Xianhan didn’t even blink. “You don’t deserve it.”
In their colleagues’ minds, Jiang Xianhan had always been a gifted sharp-tongue, skilled at sarcastic remarks.
“She looks very young, perhaps in her early twenties. You are over thirty. Preying on a beautiful young woman, are you even human?”
“Mind your own business.”
“I think your sprained ankle is just a gimmick to fool the young woman. Professor Jiang, you have some impressive tactics.”
Zhang Yun took a fierce bite of his scallion pancake, ground his teeth, and before he could say anything more, Jiang Xianhan fanned herself with a notebook.
“Stay away from me. I despise scallion pancakes.”
Ji Pei wandered outside for about an hour. When she heard the bell ring for the end of class, she leisurely took the elevator up. She knocked on the door, opened it slightly, then slowly walked in and approached Jiang Xianhan.
Jiang Xianhan had already organized the course materials she needed for the day. Bai Yin followed her, carrying her laptop bag.
“Professor Jiang, it’s a bit of a distance to Mingde Building. We should head over now.”
Jiang Xianhan nodded. “Mhm, okay.”
Bai Yin pushed the wheelchair. Jiang Xianhan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she turned to instruct Bai Yin, “Bai Yin, bring the textbooks we’ll need today.”
Bai Yin was surprised. “Professor Jiang, don’t you never bring textbooks?”
Jiang Xianhan explained, “There are many students from other departments today. I’m afraid they won’t understand.”
“Oh, okay.”
Bai Yin counted the books and asked, “Professor Jiang, how many should I bring?”
Jiang Xianhan said without turning her head, “All of them.”
Bai Yin was holding a thick stack of books, and Ji Pei saw she was struggling to hold them, so she took her laptop bag. “I’ll carry your laptop.”
Bai Yin adjusted her glasses. “Thank you, thank you! Student Ji Pei, you are such a kind person.”
Ji Pei smiled and turned to Jiang Xianhan. “Professor Jiang, I’ll push you downstairs.”
Jiang Xianhan’s curved lips straightened, and the satisfaction in her eyes was almost impossible to conceal, though her professor friends had clearly noticed it.
“Good.”
After the three of them left, the other three professors huddled together, rubbing their chins, all equally astonished.
“I wondered why Jiang Xianhan wouldn’t come out and socialize with us these past few days. Turns out she has a new love interest.”
“Lucky woman! That girl is as beautiful as a movie star, well-mannered, and polite.”
“There’s quite an age gap between them. I just heard Bai Yin call her ‘student.’ I didn’t realize Jiang Xianhan had this in her.”
“I’m telling you, Jiang Xianhan is a beast.”
Zhang Yun rubbed his chin and agreed. “I think you’re right.”